In the Beginning
by Spikeybabe
Summary: [Take the Lead] SLASH Danjou is gay and in lust with Ramos. He thinks that it's impossible, but what happens when he finds out that Ramos feels the same.
1. Chapter 1

Danjou stared out the window of his uncle's car lost in thought. Four months until he graduated, four long months of struggling to survive, of hiding who he really was, of dancing, which he didn't really enjoy.

The money he'd earned at his uncle's horse farm was a heavy weight in his pocket, and sometimes he wished he could just blow it on something stupid but he had a plan and he needed money to accomplish it. So it would go into his savings until it was ready to be used.

He may have been born in the slums but he sure as hell wasn't going to stay there. His mother, who worked like a dog, wouldn't let him contribute any of his earnings to the family. She wanted him to go to college and he was trying to make her proud. He was in the running for a couple scholarships and his grades were good though he didn't advertise it. One of the Dungeon Kids wasn't expected to be smart.

He'd gotten into Northeastern University and his dream was to be an architect. He'd known for a few weeks but he hadn't told any of his family yet; he wanted to hug the news to himself a little longer before sharing.

He was going to be happy to be out. You had to be tough to live in their neighborhood and the truth was he wasn't tough. You sure as fuck couldn't be gay and definitely not be open about it. And Danjou was gay. It was easy to hide it when everybody thought he wanted Sasha, but the truth, the truth he couldn't share was that he wanted Ramos. It was easier to play the dejected suitor, the straight dejected suitor in this game.

Sometimes he swore Ramos knew it, in the way the other guy looked at him as if Danjou was special, the way he was always touching, hugging, and standing near him. The weak part of him enjoyed the attention. Then Ramos would make a sexist comment about Sasha and Danjou would seethe. Seethe because this was the attitude of their neighborhood and that Sasha would accept the attitude.

And finally it happened. Ramos made a comment that Danjou couldn't, wouldn't ignore and he'd struck out. He landed one solid punch, equally scared by the violence erupting from him and the need to smack that smug look off Ramos' face again. Excessive fighting was the reason he was in detention in the first place, but he had never enjoyed a hit quite so much. Or been aroused by it, his mind added and was ignored.

His uncle pulled the car to a stop in front of Danjou's building.

"Thanks, Uncle Dan."

"You're welcome, son." His uncle, a robust man with a loud laugh and smiling eyes, responded. "You know, son, I'm really proud of how hard you've been working. I have no doubt you'll get into college."

Danjou smiled. "I got into Northeastern."

His uncle laughed. "That's wonderful. But why didn't you tell us while you were staying? You know Marie would have made an Italian cream cake."

Danjou laughed; his uncle used every ploy he could find to get cake out of his wife. "I know. I, uh, wanted to tell Mom first. I left before she got home on Friday."

Dan nodded. "Well, congratulations. I'll pick you up on Friday."

He hugged Danjou. "You're going to be the first in the family to go to college. This is something. I'll get Marie to make the cake next weekend."

Danjou laughed again, happier than he'd been since realizing he was gay. He grabbed his backpack and slammed out of the car with another goodbye thrown over his shoulder.

He headed to the door of his building, digging his keys out of his pocket, and wanting nothing more than a quick shower and his bed. He was unaware of the person standing in the shadows until it was too late. Rough hands grabbed him and slammed him up against the wall. He felt a quick shiver of fear and started to shove the person back. "What the fuck was that?" Ramos growled and Danjou sagged with relief before getting pissed himself. "What the fuck was what?" He pushed past Ramos and unlocked the door.

Ramos whirled him around and Danjou's eyes locked on Ramos' bruised jaw. Unthinking, he reached up and tilted Ramos' head and ran his finger over the jaw. He ignored the warmth of the skin under his fingers instead focusing on the discoloration. He heard a gasp, quickly smothered, and he jerked his hand away. "Sorry," he mumbled, thinking he'd hurt Ramos.

Ramos shook his head and the look in his eyes was strange, like he was disappointed. "Where have you been?" he demanded.

"What business is it of yours?" he snapped, because dealing with this guy during the week was hard enough, but on Sunday night without any of their classmates around, it was somehow worse.

"I've been looking for you for three days."

"Why were you looking for me?" Danjou asked suspiciously. He wasn't comfortable with knowing Ramos had been looking for him, especially after he'd hit Ramos.

Ramos shrugged as if this was an ordinary occurrence. "I'm always looking for you," he muttered, but then grinned. "You did hit me, you know."

"Listen, I'm going inside. You can follow or not, I don't care." Actually, he did care. He hoped Ramos would just leave but Ramos just followed him inside and up the stairs. Sure, there was an elevator, but who would be stupid enough to trust that; the last time he'd been stuck in there for thirty minutes and being locked in a confining area with the guy behind him was the last thing he wanted.

He walked into the dark apartment, knowing his mother was at her second job. He flipped on the lights with Ramos following closely and found the note his mom had left him. He smiled slightly. The note was always the same: told him that she was working; there was food in the fridge; and to give her love to his uncle.

"Uncle?" Ramos asked, breathing into Danjou's ear.

"Yeah, I work at his farm on the weekends." And he stepped away because it was hard enough being that close to Ramos and to feel his breath on Danjou's skin made him tingle and made him want Ramos's breath on other parts of his body.

"How long have you been doing that?"

"Almost five years." He glanced over to see Ramos giving him a look that was almost surprised.

He nodded toward the living room. "You can go sit down if you want. I'll be right back." He went to his room, grateful to get away. He'd known Ramos for years and this was the first time he'd ever been to his apartment before. He dropped his backpack on his bedroom floor, toeing off his shoes, and dropping his coat on the bed before going back out.

He found Ramos on the couch, flipping through his architecture book. And he sighed because he saw the connection. He sat on the other end of the couch and waited. He'd be damned if he'd start another fight over, well, anything. He was too tired for it.

He just sat there, eyes closed, simply waiting. He finally blinked them open to find Ramos watching him. "You like architecture?"

"Yeah," he replied shortly because why else would he have books on the subject. They lapsed into silence, hot and uncomfortable. At least on Danjou's end. Ramos didn't look particularly ruffled about anything, just seemed to be waiting for something.

"I don't want to fight," he finally whispered, appalled at his weakness.

Ramos' head tilted and he smiled slightly. "No one is fighting. I want to get to know you." He rose to his feet. "But not tonight. Too soon."

And just like that Danjou is confused and, again, strangely aroused.

"I know what it's like," he continued, "to be playing a part."

Danjou couldn't speak, unsure if this was some sick joke Ramos was playing. He stayed silent; it was the only weapon he had left.

Ramos smirked at him from the door. "One day we'll know each other's secrets, but until then, peace." He slipped quietly out the door.

Danjou is more confused than ever. He was sure Ramos was saying something meaningful but he didn't understand the message. He wasn't sure it mattered. He knew with certainty that this wasn't the last time Ramos would be here and he would go along with whatever was happening until he had the answers.


	2. Chapter 2

So this is just Ramos's take on the same chapter. I've had this written for months but wasn't going to post it because it's repetitive. If anyone is reading this, I just don't want you to think that I've forgotten about it. I haven't had any inspiration for it but I'm going to work on all my unfinished stories.

Chapter 2 

Ramos still couldn't believe it had happened. To him for Christ sakes. One day, he was a heterosexual stud and the next…well, he was macking for guys. To make matters worse, it wasn't just random guys. It was one in particular. Danjou Epps, fellow detention-goer and someone he considered a friend. It wasn't long before he realized just how much he didn't know about his "friend."

Ramos was considered one of the lucky ones in the 'hood. His parents were still together and reasonably happy, as happy as you can be raising four kids in a two bedroom apartment. When he'd gotten old enough, he'd gotten a job at a gas station and had given most of his earnings to his family. Except he'd wanted more and he began selling drugs. He was busted a few times, a stint in juvie (which he never wanted to repeat), and enough fights until he was sentenced to detention for the entire school year.

His sweet mama had smacked him upside the head, grounded him from all non-school activities but he enjoyed detention because he got to hang with his friends and the hosting teachers never bothered them.

Until Pierre Dulaine had shown up, it had given him a chance to be up close and personal with some hot ladies and while he enjoyed women, enjoyed having sex with them, there was something missing. He wasn't sure what it was but then he stared into the brown eyes of Danjou and his heart skipped a beat as cheesy as that was. It became easy to become entangled in a love triangle that wasn't actually a triangle. He wanted Danjou, Danjou wanted Sasha, and Sasha didn't want either of them.

He played his part and he played it well because one day Danjou had punched him in the jaw. And wasn't that surprising? In the code of the neighborhood, he should have wanted revenge. But he didn't. He just wanted to talk. That had given him his second surprise. Danjou wasn't home. All weekend he'd looked for him and Sunday night Danjou had finally shown up in a new Chevy truck with some big man driving. The man hugged Danjou and he scowled. Who was this man and why was he hugging Danjou?

He was so relieved that Danjou was alright and that his dead body wasn't stuffed in a ditch somewhere that he'd grabbed Danjou and shoved him against the wall. "What the fuck was that?"

Danjou started to push back against him and Ramos hoped that Danjou would hit him. He needed something to work off a little steam. He could tell when Danjou recognized him because he stopped pushing against him and went past him instead. "What the fuck was what?"

It annoyed him that Danjou wouldn't tell him where he'd been. They were friends; they shouldn't have secrets from one another. He reminded himself that he had secrets from Danjou and that meant Danjou could have them from him. He grabbed the other's boy's shoulders and turned him around. His heart skipped a beat again when Danjou touched his jaw, rubbing against the bruise that he'd given Ramos. Ramos inhaled sharply and Danjou pulled his hand away quickly.

Ramos shook his head, disappointed that Danjou wasn't touching him anymore. "Where have you been?" he asked. It sounded more like a demand than a question and he could see the annoyance in Danjou's eyes.

"What business is it of yours?"

"I've been looking for you for three days."

"Why were you looking for me?"

He shrugged and muttered, "I'm always looking for you." He smiled at the corniness of the line and knowing that for now that would be the closest he came to admitting his feelings aloud. "You did hit me, you know."

"Listen, I'm going inside. You can follow or not, I don't care."

The offer was reluctant but Ramos followed him anyway. They bypassed the elevator, thankfully, because Ramos had stopped by once to see Danjou and it had shaken and groaned the whole way up and he'd been afraid that the cables were going to snap and he'd plummet to his death. Danjou hadn't been home and he'd taken the stairs on the way down. He stuck close, sure that if Danjou could, he'd leave him behind. Not to mention that this way he could study Danjou's tight ass.

They walked into the dark apartment with Danjou flipping on lights until he found a note on a table. Ramos rose up on his toes to read over Danjou's shoulder. He smiled slightly. He could see the answer to the question he'd asked. "Uncle?"

"Yeah, I work at his farm on the weekends."

"How long have you been doing that?" It was the first time he'd heard about it and he wondered why he didn't know.

"Almost five years."

"You can go sit down if you want. I'll be right back." He watched Danjou walk down a short hall, obviously to his room and told himself that he had no business feeling hurt that he didn't know. But it just proved that while he considered Danjou his closest friend, he didn't know as much as he thought. He sat on the couch, wondering how to become closer to Danjou. He picked up the architecture book that Danjou had shown Sasha and thumbed through it absently.

Danjou came back into the living room and sat on the other end of the couch. Ramos glanced at him to make a comment but kept still. Danjou was sitting there with his eyes closed and Ramos used the opportunity to study his face. When Danjou's eyes finally opened, Ramos opened his mouth and the first thing he could think of popped out. "You like architecture?"

He berated himself for acting like an idiot. He'd never had problems like this when he'd been into girls.

"Yeah." And that was it. Ramos sat there, expecting more but not getting anything.

"I don't want to fight."

The words were whispered harshly and Ramos was surprised. He wanted to talk but apparently it was too soon.

"No one is fighting. I want to get to know you." He stood. "But not tonight. Too soon. I know what it's like to be playing a part."

He turned and smirked while opening the door. "One day we'll know each other's secrets, but until then, peace." He slipped out the door and hurried to get away.

This wasn't going to be the last time he came here, he knew that. He wondered how long it would be before Danjou understood what he meant.


	3. Chapter 3

Danjou was just settling on the sofa with his supper when someone knocked on the door

Danjou was just settling on the sofa with his supper when someone knocked on the door. He grumbled, wanting nothing more than to ignore the summons but the person kept knocking. He put his tray down on the coffee table, paused the movie he'd just started, and pushed himself off the couch.

He checked the peep-hole and sighed. Ramos. Of course. It had been four days since the last time Ramos had appeared at his place. Neither of them had mentioned it either. Ramos had flirted with Sasha and he just ignored them both.

He unlocked the door and swung it open. "Hey."

"Hey." Ramos glanced up at him and smiled slightly.

"Do you want to come in?" Danjou asked, confused. If he didn't know better, he would think Ramos was shy. Ramos shrugged but entered the apartment.

"I was just getting ready to eat supper, if you want some. Spaghetti."

Ramos nodded. "Sounds good."

Danjou went into the kitchen with Ramos on his heels. He pulled down a bowl and plate, grabbed some utensils and started arranging food. He turned and stopped when he saw Ramos' smirk. "What?"

"I just didn't expect you to be so…domestic."

The pause set his teeth on edge; to be honest he'd admit that everything about Ramos set him on edge. To keep the peace, he fake smiled and thrust the tray at the other guy. "Drinks are in the refrigerator. Help yourself."

He went into the living room and flopped on the couch. Unbelievable. He should have gone with his instincts and ignored the door because now he was stuck spending time with a man who inflamed him – physically and emotionally.

Ramos came into the room and sat on the couch so Danjou restarted the movie. "I'm sorry, Danjou. It wasn't meant as an insult; just as observation."

He glanced down the couch. He hadn't known Ramos had a version of puppy dog eyes and it made him distinctly uncomfortable. He imagined seeing those eyes in other situations and his face grew hot and he shifted nervously.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Pointedly he stared at the television and started to eat.

Apparently Ramos caught the point because they watched the entire movie in total silence.

As it went off, Ramos finally broke the silence. "You want to know something fucked up?" He didn't look to see if Danjou consented but took the silence for interest. "I've thought of you as my best friend for at least a year, maybe even longer and it turns out I don't know you at all. I mean, I am what I am. Whether I'm at home or at school or at work – I'm me. There aren't any layers. And all I saw was the same thing in you. But you're not like me; you're going somewhere that I'm not. You have plans and dreams." He scrubbed his hand over his face. "Maybe I shouldn't have bothered finding it out. Then it wouldn't have mattered. I would have done what I wanted and ignored the consequences." He sighed. "What a fucking mess."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Then why did you start it if it doesn't matter?"

Ramos stood, grabbed his dishes and returned them to the kitchen. "Thanks for the food but I gotta fly. Girls to flirt with, a fight to be had. You know the drill." He slipped out the door, leaving Danjou speechless. He felt like he had walked into the middle of a one-man show. He'd followed the conversation at first but then it took off in another direction where he didn't know the rules or followed the train of thought.

At least confusion was better than the mixture of fear and lust that he usually felt when Ramos was around.


End file.
